Time Capsule
by KidKneeGirl
Summary: COMPLETE! Dr. Beckett discovers a remarkable piece of Ancient technology. Please R&R thanks to everyone!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: My favorite character on SGA is Carson Beckett, so this story is mostly about my dear Scottish doctor. Please note that I refer to many episodes, both in Seasons 1 and 2, so beware of spoilers. Finally, I am not certain if there is an established mythology when it come to the city of Atlantis, so I took advantage of writer's license, and made my own up. I hope you enjoy it, and a huge thanks to those who read and review.

Time Capsule

Chapter 1

"Owwwwww."

Dr. Carson Beckett, the chief medical officer of the Atlantis expedition, glared at Dr. Rodney McKay. Protruding from McKay's left arm was a small piece of shrapnel, a parting gift from the residents of P3X-133. Rodney, never a brave soul when it came to dealing with his own pain, was alternately whimpering and yelping, yanking his injured arm away from Carson.

"Rodney, if you won't let me see your arm, how do you expect me to fix it?" Carson barked, exasperated by the scientist's antics. He grasped McKay's shoulder, and peered at the injury. Resigned, Rodney stopped fidgeting, his mouth drawn in a straight line.

"Hold still," Carson warned, then reached for a small pair of sterile pliers. He carefully grasped the edge of the metal, then gave a quick yank. He was rewarded for his efforts by nearly being elbowed in the eye.

"OUCH! Damn it, Carson, you could have warned me!" Rodney spun around, nearly toppling off the small examination table. His face turned white as he spotted the metal in the jaws in the pliers, small bits of flesh still clinging to the rough edges. Fresh blood streamed from the injured site, traveling down his arm to his hand, then on to the floor.

"Gross," he muttered, then his eyelids fluttered and with a small sigh, he fainted.

Carson dropped the pliers and grabbed Rodney before he could fall on to the floor. Giving a small shove, he steered the scientist on to his back, flopping him down on to the table. He grimaced as Rodney's head hit the metal with an audible 'thunk.'

"Nurse? I suggest you clean and bandage the wound before he wakes up," Carson called over his shoulder. The woman, one of the new arrivals, nodded her head. "Oh, and give him a tetanus shot as well. But wait until he's awake for that."

She smiled, a pretty African-American woman with chocolate eyes. Carson searched his mind for her name, but only came up with Perkins. He sighed, watching as she bent and picked up the bloody pliers.

"I always knew you had a mean streak, Doctor." Lt. Colonel John Sheppard was perched against the door frame, his arms across his chest. He was in his off-world gear, which was splattered with mud.

"Aye…and don't you forget it," Carson said, his Scottish brogue heavier than usual. John took a moment and studied the doctor; he seemed distant and tired, dark circles underscoring his blue eyes. Oblivious to John's perusal, Carson wearily ran a hand through his thick, dark hair, then turned his attention to John.

"Dr. McKay should be able to go off-world in a day or so, Colonel. His wound didn't require any stitches, so I'm just ordering a day of rest." John only nodded as Carson plodded over to his office. He stared at the physician's back for a moment, then stepped up to the examination table Rodney currently occupied.

The scientist was waking up, and blearily focused his gaze on John.

"Hey Rodney, that makes four," John said, a sarcastic smile on his face. McKay looked confused for a moment, then groaned.

"I cannot believe you are tallying how many times I fain…pass out!" Rodney struggled to an upright position, ignoring the woman who was trying to bandage his arm. He yanked his arm away, his glare alternating between the Colonel and the nurse. His heated gaze turned to apprehension, however, when she leaned in, rubbing his arm with alcohol. In her other hand was a large needle.

"Damn it," he said softly, then his blue eyes glazed over, and with a small 'thunk,' he fell back on to the table, unconscious.

"I stand corrected. This makes five," John amended, as the nurse administered the shot.

oOo

It was nearly midnight, Atlantis time, before Dr. Beckett was able to leave the sick bay. Although there had been relatively few injuries for him to attend to, he still had piles of paperwork to address. Finally, his head aching and his eyes blood-shot, he had tossed the files away, needing to sleep.

After checking on the few patients that were in the infirmary one last time, he nodded in response to a nurse's "Good night, Doctor," then made his way to his quarters. At his silent request, the doors slid open, admitting him to his haven.

On autopilot, Carson shrugged out of his clothes, and slid into bed. He lay there, soft moonlight streaming through his open window. A light breeze wafted in, cooling his skin. He willed his body to relax, to drift into the rest he knew he needed, but his mind refused his request for sleep. Random thoughts and hidden fears insisted on surfacing, taunting him. Frustrated, Carson gave a deep sigh, then flipped on to his side. He knew that almost everyone on Atlantis – at least those who had been there since the beginning – had trouble sleeping. The 'newbies,' as Rodney called the recently arrived personnel, had not yet encountered the Wraith, and still slept like babies. Carson envied them.

His mind wandered to Laura. He wondered when he would get the chance to see her again. The influx of additional staff had not eased Carson's load at all; rather, it required even more of his time. And the paperwork – it never ended. Scheduling, research, medical records, transmissions to Earth every six weeks or so; they all required the chief medical officer's attention. That didn't include patching up Colonel Sheppard's team, or any one of the other six off-world teams that now explored the Pegasus galaxy. Carson couldn't believe how many hostile worlds there were out there. Then there was the small tribe of Athosians that dwelled on the mainland that he visited every two weeks or so. One of Teyla's closest friends was pregnant, and her baby was due very soon. Carson gave a small grin at that thought; it would be refreshing to deliver a new life into this world, rather than watching another friend die.

He flipped on to his back, twisting the sheets around him. He closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing like Dr. Heightmeyer suggested. In. Out. In. Out. He did this for about five minutes, and ever so slowly, his troubled mind gave in to his body's need for rest. Ten minutes later, Carson Beckett was sound asleep.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Time Capsule

Chapter 2

"What's the matter now, Rodney?"

Carson stared at the excited physicist from behind his pile of folders. McKay had burst into his office, his hands cradling a small object. It was about a week after the shoulder incident, and Carson had noticed that the scientist had been avoiding the medical wing. Beckett was used to this; even though he did everything he could to repair the physical damage the teams incurred off-world, rather than being thanked, he was often regarded with distrust. After all, he was the one who wielded the sharp instruments. Still, when Rodney wasn't being Dr. Super-Scientist, saving the Pegasus galaxy from imminent destruction, he could be a downright amusing guy. Carson and Rodney, along with Radek Zelenka, had formed an unlikely friendship. Many times, the three of them had gotten together, sampling Zelenka's home brew and swapping tall tales. It was a side of Rodney that was hidden well, and Carson knew he and Zelenka were two of the few who actually got to meet a different Rodney McKay.

"Touch this!" McKay ordered, thrusting the device at Carson. Immediately, Beckett jumped up and retreated away from Rodney. Carson was on Atlantis for two reasons: one, he was a superb surgeon and two, he had the ATA gene. He preferred to be known for reason number one. He despised reason number two. Only a few of the Atlantis personnel from Earth had the gene, John Sheppard being one of the others.

"Not a chance, Rodney!" Carson continued to avoid McKay, hurrying out of his office. Rodney remained on his heels, cradling the device to his chest.

"Come on, Carson! Sheppard's with Ronon and Teyla, training soldiers on the mainland. Who knows when he'll be back?" Rodney explained, cornering the doctor between a medicine cabinet and a gurney. Carson's face remained uneasy as he shook his head vehemently. As always, McKay was consumed with knowing what an Ancient device did, versus what the device did to the person activating it. While Carson had never felt anything other than a slight tingling sensation, especially when he sat in the chair in Antarctica, he wasn't willing to be Rodney's lab rat. Too many uncertainties.

He watched as Rodney's face fell, disappointment in his intelligent eyes. Carson fought the urge, but found himself reluctantly asking, "What's it supposed to do?"

Immediately, Rodney lit up. He guided Carson to a chair, then had the doctor remove his headset.

"Well, I think it's a type of communication device that interfaces directly with the computer on Atlantis. Rather than typing or even speaking commands, like we do, I believe it's possible to just think the commands, and they'll happen. Like when you turn on the lights, only with more complex processes." Rodney eased the circlet across Carson's brow. As he finished adjusting the device, Carson looked up into Rodney's face.

"It won't fry my brain, will it?" Carson asked worriedly. Rodney shook his head from side to side, ignoring the short flicker of fear that sprang into his mind. He had lost control of one Ancient weapon, and that resulted in a destroyed solar system. Okay, not completely destroyed, but still….

"If you don't want to do this, Carson…" Rodney trailed off, his eyes clouding, his hands braced on his hips. Around him, a two nurses and a doctor hovered, their curiosity peaked. Beckett merely sighed, closing his eyes briefly, then opening them to stare at the physicist.

"Okay," Rodney said, stepping back and eyeing Carson critically. "Whenever you're ready."

Carson nodded, his hands gripping the arms of the chair. He closed his eyes, trying to relax his body. He focused his mind on the object encircling his brow, willing it to come to life. Like the night before, he focused on his breathing. In. Out. In. Out. Slowly, he felt a small tingling sensation course through his body, starting at his head, then spread out until the ends of his fingers thrummed. As always, he was undecided as to how to react; the sensation wasn't unpleasant, but it was foreign. Then, behind the prickling….something else.

A voice. He heard a voice. So faint and far away, it almost seemed unreal, but as he focused on the sound, it started gaining strength. Carson screwed his eyes shut, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the arms of the chair. Now there was an image, blurry and white. He focused all his thoughts on to the fuzzy form, and it started taking shape. A woman's shape. She was leaning in to him, speaking urgently. Carson frowned….he couldn't understand her, although the language was beautiful. Musical, almost. He shook his head, frustrated at his inability to comprehend her words. He opened his mouth, wanting to console her, because she seemed upset. But any words he had thought to offer were quickly forgotten as a sharp pain ripped through his skull.

Rodney watched in dismay as Carson fell asleep. At least, that's what it looked like from his side of the device. The doctor had closed his eyes, taken some deep breaths, and then nodded off. Rodney wondered briefly if his theory had been incorrect, and this was some sort of Ancient sleep aid or something. A frown crossed Carson's face, and Rodney stepped forward. Something was happening.

Carson's eyes flew open, the shock and pain apparent in their blue depths. The sensation of something coursing within his body, examining every vessel and pore, was overwhelming. It was almost like he was being searched from within. The pain was nearly unbearable, and with a small groan, Carson felt himself slipping into unconsciousness. His last thought was of the woman…who was she?

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Time Capsule

Chapter 3

Dr. Carson Beckett slowly opened his eyes. He was lying in a bed, in his own infirmary. He felt the leads from a heart monitor, cold on his body. An IV was dripping fluids into his left arm. A sheet covered him, a soft pillow behind his head. For a moment, Carson thought to ask what happened. Then, exhaustion overcoming him, he changed his mind. It could wait.

As he shut his eyes, the image of the woman came to him. And her distress. Suddenly, his memory came rushing in, and he sat up in bed, startling Rodney.

"Carson! Carson, are you okay?" Without waiting for an answer, Rodney turned and barked, "Nurse! Dr. Beckett's awake!" He turned his attention back to Carson, concern mingled with relief on his worn face. Behind McKay stood Dr. Elizabeth Weir, the expedition leader, and Colonel Sheppard. The worry in their eyes deepened as Carson spoke.

"The woman? Where is she?" Carson struggled to get up, only to be pushed back down by a frowning Rodney.

"Take it easy. Cadman just left. Sheppard ordered her to get some rest," Rodney explained. He watched as confusion crossed Carson's face, then the Scotsman shook his head.

"Not Laura…although she was here? Really?" Carson slumped back into the bed, his original exhaustion overtaking him. He took a moment, closing his eyes. He felt like he had just run one hundred miles, being pursued by the Wraith the whole time. His entire body ached and throbbed, and his head felt ready to shatter.

"Dr. Beckett. How do you feel?" The warm voice of Dr. Amrubi prompted Carson to open his eyes. The physician leaned in, listened to Carson's chest, frowned slightly, and then checked the IV lines.

Carson waited until Amrubi was done, then answered his question. "I hurt. Everywhere," he said, lifting his right hand to rub his eyes. As he dropped his arm, he was uncomfortably aware that four sets of eyes were staring at him. Hard.

"What happened?" he asked, fear and confusion in his voice.

Elizabeth leaned in, placing a warm hand on his arm. "Carson, you've been unconscious for three days. We were very concerned." She shot a look at Rodney, who fidgeted under her gaze.

"Three days!" Carson repeated. As he absorbed her statement, Carson could feel Amrubi's eyes scan him clinically. The heart monitor had increased, the normal beep-beep accelerating. His memory came flooding back, and the look on the woman's face as she reached towards him, her eyes distressed…..

"The woman! There was a woman," Carson repeated his earlier statement, causing Rodney to stare at him.

"What woman? Who are talking about, Carson?" Rodney asked, fearing that his friend may have been damaged by the Ancient device. His heart had nearly stopped when Carson's eyes had shot open, his hands ripping at the circlet on his head. For a moment, Rodney had witnessed the pain and fear reflected in Carson's blue eyes, then Beckett had lapsed into convulsions, and all hell had broken loose. Doctors and nurses had elbowed Rodney out of the way, frantically trying to control Carson as he continued to shake uncontrollably. Rodney had been unable to do more than stand back and watch as one of his closest friends turned a deathly shade of white, horrible gasping noises coming from his mouth as he tried to breathe, his body twitching and writhing in pain. Never had McKay felt so helpless.

For three days he stayed by Carson's side. Elizabeth and John hadn't yet reprimanded him for making Carson use the circlet; Rodney knew they were waiting to see if the doctor recovered. Carson had lay so still in the bed, his face pale, his breathing slight. Laura had arrived moments after the incident, her own eyes worried and fearful. She and Rodney had taken turns watching over the doctor, Laura speaking to him softly, frequently touching his arm, or running a hand through Carson's thick hair. Rodney was less vocal, but no less watchful. More than guilt prompted his attendance, although Rodney knew if Carson was permanently damaged or, God forbid, died from using the circlet, he would carry the weight of hurting his friend for the rest of his life.

Carson Beckett was special. Rodney knew that if he voiced that comment out loud, he would be the recipient of many raised eyebrows and knowing smirks, especially since the 'kissing incident.' But Rodney had grown to know the Doctor quite well, due to so many trips to the infirmary, and, invariably, they had become friends. And in their growing friendship, Rodney learned the truth about the doctor.

He was kind. And gentle. He only wanted to help people, never hurt them. He had offered to help an injured Wraith, for Pete's sake. And his patience was limitless. Rodney knew that no other physician in Atlantis would deal with him; his health care was only administered by Beckett. The man wasn't a brilliant physicist, a top-notch negotiator or an especially brave soldier. But when he was needed, he was always there, ready to do his job. Carson was generous, compassionate and thoughtful. He was everything Rodney wasn't, and by befriending the doctor, Rodney had thought maybe some of the qualities Carson possessed would rub off on his own cynical, impatient self.

Now, though, Rodney watched as Carson closed his eyes, his face bewildered.

Exhaustion lined Beckett's features, and Dr. Amrubi leaned in, administering something to Carson's IV line.

"I've given him a light sedative. He needs to rest," Dr. Amrubi stated. He drew the sheets up, tucked them around the relaxing doctor, then shooed his hands at the others.

"You can come back and see him later," Amrubi advised. Elizabeth nodded her head in agreement, and John took her elbow, leading her out the door.

"Are you coming, Rodney?" John asked, although he already knew the answer to his question. Rodney had retaken his post next to Carson, his eyes on the still form sleeping in the bed.

"I'll just be a minute," Rodney said, and John nodded. His gaze caught that of Elizabeth's and they shared a small smile. Rodney was nothing if not predictable. With one last look, they left the room.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Time Capsule

Chapter 4

Carson Beckett growled at the nurse. He didn't mean it, but really, he was ready to leave this infernal bed and get back to work. Dr. Amrubi had ordered him to remain in the infirmary for another two days after he woke up, giving his body time to recover. And giving Carson time to search his memories.

There had been a woman speaking to him. He was certain of that. He was not prone to hallucinations or delusions, and he did not manufacture the woman out of thin air. No, she was directly tied to the circlet. And therein was the problem.

Rodney had reluctantly allowed John Sheppard to try and activate the circlet. Try being the operative word. Although John had been lying in the bed next to Carson's, surrounded by Rodney and Radek, not to mention a platoon of doctors and nurses, nothing had happened. Nada. Not even a twinge, according to Sheppard. Frustrated, Rodney had paraded the few humans who had the ATA gene into the infirmary, each trying on the circlet. And each failing to generate even a blip from the device. Rodney had given up in disgust.

Now, Carson was ready to leave this blasted bed and at least put on real clothes, not this smock thing that currently left his ass hanging in the wind. Really…who designed these things? Laura had teased him unmercifully about enjoying the view, and he had felt his cheeks (the ones on his face, thank you) blush crimson at her remarks. The lady in question was currently at his side, her long hair tied up in a ponytail, her eyes on his. The nurse was removing his IV line, applying a Band-aid with a Tweety Bird on it.

"I brought you some clothes, Carson," Laura said, smiling sweetly at him. He gave her a grateful smile in return, wondering for the thousandth time what the pretty soldier saw in him, anyway. He had decided not to question it, just go with the moment. It was the only way to live in Atlantis.

Two hours later, with Laura back on duty and a promise to make him dinner tonight, Carson was in his office, trying to concentrate on his paperwork. His head still ached a bit, and he ran his hands through his hair. Images of the mystery woman flashed in his memory, interrupting his thoughts. The look of distress on her face worried him. Whoever….whatever…she was, there was something wrong. She had been trying to tell him, but then there was pain…Carson screwed up his eyes, remembering the agony. He stood up and began pacing the floor, his mind torn. Finally, reluctantly, he made up his mind. With a resigned sigh, he left his office, heading to Rodney's lab.

oOo

Dr. McKay was puttering. It was something he loved to do, sometimes even more so than actually solving the seemingly insurmountable problems that occasionally arose on Atlantis. Sure, he could save the day, but when all the fanfare subsided, he liked to just sit at his table and tinker with gadgets.

He stared morosely at the circlet. He had been sure that the Ancient device was some sort of communications interface, and he still would bet his last candy bar that he was right. But only Carson had managed to get the thing to do anything, and that incident had frightening results. Discouraged, Rodney lifted the circlet, giving it one last look before he stored it in a metal case. His perusal was interrupted by Carson, who strode into his room.

"Carson! They let you out?" Rodney asked, quickly dropping the device into the box and closing the lid with a bang. He was unsure if Carson was angry with him, but Rodney saw no need to upset the doctor needlessly by parading the device before him. Maybe he was getting nicer.

"Rodney," Carson replied in greeting. He rubbed his hands together, then squared his shoulders. "I want to try the device again," he blurted out. Nervously, Beckett paced the confines of the lab.

Rodney sat in shocked silence, not quite believing his ears. Carson wanted to try again? Was he out of his mind? Although the opportunity seemed almost heaven-sent, Rodney responded with a resounding, "No. Absolutely not." He must be getting nicer.

Carson paused in his pacing, his eyes boring into Rodney. He clasped his hands together, trying to organize his thoughts.

"Rodney, I saw someone. I know you don't believe me, that you think I should be seeing Heightmeyer, but I'm telling you…she was there. And she was trying to tell me something. Something important. I want to try again. I _need_ to try again."

McKay stared at his friend, seeing the anguish on Carson's face. As always, Carson's need to help was causing the doctor to ignore the dangers to himself. Rodney nearly snorted; he was much the same when the cause was scientific rather than humane. Maybe they were more alike than he thought.

"Are you sure? I mean, _really, really sure_, Carson? Last time scared the hell out me, and I can't deal with a repeat performance." Rodney's voice was brusque with pent-up emotion, and Carson realized that the admission was unusual for Rodney. Compassion for his friend welled-up, and Carson reached out a hand, placing it on Rodney's shoulder.

"I don't blame you for what happened, Rodney. I think it was my fault, anyway," Carson admitted, hoping to relieve a little of Rodney's guilt. Carson knew both Elizabeth and Sheppard had ripped into Rodney, hard, after Beckett had recovered, severely limiting Rodney's capacity to experiment. Apparently, McKay had accepted both the tongue-lashing and the punishment without a word.

Rodney eyed his friend, seeing the need and resolve in his eyes. Resigned, he nodded his head, and grabbed the metal box.

"We'll do this in the sick-bay. After you," Rodney said, waving his hand towards the door. Carson merely grinned in relief, nodding in agreement as Rodney added, "And not one word to Elizabeth!"

oOo

Carson Beckett lay in the infirmary, on the same bed he occupied for the last five days. Surrounding him was a frowning Dr. Amrubi, a nervous Rodney McKay and a pensive Dr. Weir. Elizabeth had strolled down to the sick-bay to check on Carson just as he and Rodney returned. She had originally balked at allowing Carson to re-try the device, but with both Beckett and McKay focusing their pleading blue eyes on her, she had reluctantly given in.

Carson took a deep breath, ignoring the monitors attached to his body. Amrubi had insisted on precautions, and Elizabeth had agreed. Rodney placed the circlet on Carson's head, his worry clear in his eyes.

"If you feel anything…unusual, you take it off! Understand?" Rodney asked.

Carson just nodded his head, trying to ignore his own apprehension. He relaxed against the bed, closed his eyes, and concentrated on the device.

Almost immediately, he felt the room around him fade away. He was sinking, he was flying. Colors dissolved into a pure white, and he felt peaceful. He wondered briefly if he was dying, then decided he didn't care. This was bliss.

Rodney and Elizabeth watched as a smile settled on Carson's face. He was motionless, the only sounds in the room the blip of the monitors. A blip which was getting slower and slower.

"That's strange," Dr. Amrubi muttered. He leaned in to Carson, adjusting one of the leads attached to his chest. Rodney and Elizabeth exchanged a glance.

"Is there a problem?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes concerned.

"Well…..no, not really. He appears to be sound asleep, almost in a coma, but his brainwaves are extremely active. REM sleep, perhaps," replied Amrubi.

Carson peered through the pure white surrounding him. There was a shape coming towards him, moving slowly. A woman….the woman. Her shape took on form as she drew nearer. Tall, with long hair that fell to her hips. Dark hair, with light streaks of silver. A long dress flowed over a slim form, and she appeared to be barefoot. She stopped five feet away, and Carson gazed at her face. It was ageless…she could be anywhere from thirty to fifty years old. Pale, strong features in a heart-shaped face, piercing gray eyes. And a circlet around her own head. Carson's eyes widened as this realization hit. He watched as she put one hand on her hip and glared at him.

"Well, it took you bloody long enough!"

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Time Capsule

Chapter 5

Dr. Carson Beckett goggled at the perturbed woman standing before him. As the words left her mouth, she almost immediately looked contrite, and stepped closer. Alarmed, Carson backed away.

The woman reached a hand towards Carson, a smile of apology on her lips.

"I am sorry, lad. It had been so long since I've seen someone, and what do I do? I yell. Some things never change," she added, almost to herself. Carson just stared at the woman, his disbelief apparent in his blue eyes.

"I am Brenna," she said, bowing before him and grasping both his hands in hers. "I am the….historian, I believe you would say in your speech." She smiled, her grin a little crooked. Carson was immediately enchanted, both by her demeanor and the lilt in her voice; was that a Scottish accent?

"I….I'm Dr. Carson Beckett. Of Earth. Scotland, really. Very nice to meet you," he said, wincing at his choice of words. How lame could you get? Her hands were warm and reassuring, and he suppressed the impulse to reach out and caress her cheek. She was real… wasn't she?

"You weren't injured, were you? I tried to tell you to keep the…circlet? Yes, circlet. I tried to tell you to keep it on, that the pain would pass, but I am afraid that I failed. I am sorry," Brenna said, her apology in her gray eyes. Carson only nodded, unable to speak. She had dropped his hands, and stood before him once again, her hands clasped before her.

"Our link is tenuous, Dr. Beckett, so I must get to the point. Tell me - what would you like to know?"

oOo

In the infirmary, the blips began to increase in tempo, and Dr. Amrubi reached down and took Carson's wrist, checking his pulse. Concern lined his dark face as he spoke.

"Something is definitely happening."

"Is he okay, Doctor?" Rodney asked, his voice urgent. Carson appeared to be sleeping peacefully, the small smile on his face replaced with a look of slight bewilderment. Still, there had been no violent convulsing or erratic heartbeats, and his EEG seemed fine, although active. Whatever was happening this time, Carson apparently had more control.

oOo

Carson stared at Brenna, his astonishment apparent on his face. What did he want to know? Know about what? Boy, was he in over his head.

"I'm sorry, lass, but I'm not quite sure as to what you mean. You said you were the historian…I don't know what that is," Carson replied. He watched as Brenna frowned, then replaced her hands on her hips. Her image flickered slightly as she started pacing before him, muttering to herself. Carson only managed to catch some of the words, but apparently they were directed at herself.

"Sometimes, Brenna, you can be the stupidest person! Of course he doesn't know who you are…it's obviously been a very long time. He doesn't even speak your language!" She paused, tossing her hair in exasperation, then turned and focused her attention on Carson.

"I am Brenna, the primary historian of the city of Atlantis. Although I am not actually _here_. I am a memory, program is what you might call it. Prior to leaving Atlantis, all my memories were stored, only to be accessed by our descendants. When you activated the device, you activated me," the woman explained, her hands waving before her to accent her words. "Does that make sense to you?"

Comprehension flowed across Carson's face, and he nodded excitedly. Then, realization hit. "But…I can touch you. How can I touch a program?" he asked, confused.

Brenna only smiled, then screwed up her face in concentration. "I think this is what you would term…alternate reality? Or virtual reality? So long as you and I are connected by the circlet, we can interact on many levels." Carson clapped his hands together.

"Boy, is Rodney going to be pis…ummm, angry! He would die to be here," Carson added, causing dismay to flood across Brenna's face. "Oh, no, I don't mean that literally! It's just a saying."

"I am sorry, Carson, but we do not have much time. I will explain as much as I can, but our link is very weak," Brenna said. "When you first activated the circlet, I needed to determine if you were friend or enemy. I had to search very hard to find our link, but, thankfully, it is there."

Carson started. "You mean the Ancient gene! Is that what you call our link'?" Carson asked, and Brenna nodded at him.

"Although yours is very faint. For some reason, it was suppressed. But, I fixed that," she added happily. She didn't the look of worry that suddenly crossed Carson's face. "Once I established that you were one of my descendants, then I had to learn your language. That took some time…what is the matter, Dr. Beckett?"

"You said you 'fixed' me? What do you mean by that?" Carson asked as he nervously started to pace before her.

"I only allowed you to access the gene, as you call it, more fully. You were unconsciously controlling it. It was creating a block between us, and I needed to eliminate that barrier. Is this a problem?" Brenna asked, her anguish revealed as she watched him pace in front of her. Once more, her image wavered and faded, some of her words no more than a whisper.

"No. Yes. I don't know," Carson answered truthfully. He ran his hands through his hair, his thoughts mudding together. Suddenly, he felt he needed to leave, to sort his mind out. Besides, he didn't know if speaking to Brenna was having any adverse effects on him. He could be dying as he stood here, talking to a computer program.

"Brenna, how do I…disconnect from you? I need to get back, to talk to Rodney."

At her look of panic, Carson reached out and put a consoling hand on he shoulder. "I need to know that being here isn't hurting me…out there," he explained.

She nodded, understanding. "I am sorry. Yes, you will be very tired when you return. But unharmed. I promise you that."

She turned away and stepped back from him. "To leave, all you must do is think it. The circlet will automatically disconnect us from each other. But Carson….

you will come back? Won't you?" Brenna's voice was tinged with an undercurrent of fear, and Carson felt the need to reassure her.

"Aye, I will lass. If I can," he promised. He stood back, closed his eyes and thought of the infirmary.

oOo

Rodney and Elizabeth both gave a small sigh of relief as Carson's eyes blinked open. He sat still for a moment, then pushed himself into an upright position.

"So….what happened?" Rodney asked, leaning closer in his excitement. Carson looked tired, but okay.

Carson waited a moment, looking at the medical apparatus that was monitoring his vital signs. Apparently satisfied, he turned and gave Rodney a smug smile.

"Her name is Brenna."

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Time Capsule

Chapter 6

Dr. Beckett eyed the staff seated at the circular conference table. An emergency meeting had been called after he had revealed his experience with Brenna. Now, although he was bone-tired, he sat at the table, his mind drifting. Elizabeth and John headed the table, with Rodney to Elizabeth's left. Teyla and Ronon had also joined the meeting, along with Dr. Kate Heightmeyer and Colonel Caldwell. Finally, looking slightly out of place was Dr. Radek Zelenka, McKay's second in command. Elizabeth's light gaze traveled around the room, and settled on Carson. She gave him a small smile, then turned and nudged Rodney.

"Hmmm? Oh, right, yes," Rodney said as he stood. The physicist cleared his throat, then clasped his hands.

"As you all know, we recently found a hidden room on the north side of Atlantis. This room contained, among other things, a small, Ancient device that I believed was a communications device. By wearing the device, I believed you can interface directly with Atlantis, without having to type or speak commands."

Rodney was interrupted by John Sheppard. "I thought we already did that, Rodney. I mean, we open doors, turn on lights, and stuff."

Rodney glared at Sheppard; he hated to be interrupted. "Yes, well, this would be unbelievably more productive. You could run anything…everything, just by thinking about it. However, it seems I was….wrong." This last statement was uttered quietly, and John tried to refrain from snorting. Rodney didn't often admit he made a mistake.

"When I had Carson activate the device, he initially had an … adverse reaction. However, apparently that problem has been resolved. Carson?" Rodney retook his seat, his eyes on the doctor.

Carson Beckett stood, his nervousness obvious. "Thank you, Dr. McKay." Carson took a slow, deep breath, organizing his thoughts. "When I activated the device a second time, a woman appeared to me. An Ancient, I believe. She calls herself Brenna. She identified herself as the historian, and told me I could ask her anything. Unfortunately, I had no idea what to ask," he said, an embarrassed smile on his face.

"Wait a minute. You said a woman appeared. Did you see her, Dr. McKay?" Caldwell asked. McKay shook his head, and explained.

"I assume this woman is really some sort of memory, a computer program. Like on the Aurora, when we interacted with the crew there. Same sort of technology."

Caldwell nodded, understanding in his eyes. "Go on, Doctor Beckett."

Carson continued, "She said she needed to fix me in order to allow me to communicate with her. I'm not quite sure what that means, but so far, I haven't felt any differently." Carson sat back down, his portion of the meeting over.

Carson felt Kate Heightmeyer's warm eyes study him curiously. He was sure she thought he was out of his mind, especially with the story of a woman only he could see, but, thankfully, she remained quiet.

Elizabeth gave him a brief look, then turned to Rodney. "Well?"

Rodney stood once again. "I think we need Carson to re-enter this virtual reality and find out more information. Obviously , if she is an Ancient, she may have knowledge of Atlantis and the Wraith that we need. Not to mention technology, weapons, and the like. But, that's entirely up to Carson." Rodney looked at the doctor, who squirmed uncomfortably under the scrutiny of everyone's eyes.

"Colonel Sheppard cannot activate this woman?" Teyla asked, directing her question to Carson. Rodney answered with a negative shake of his head, explaining that everyone with the ATA gene had tried the circlet, to no avail.

"Apparently, she likes Carson," John quipped, causing a blush to appear on Beckett's face.

"Well, I guess it's up to you, Dr. Beckett," Elizabeth said. "However, I want to stress to everyone in this room" – at this she stared at Rodney – "that if Carson declines, he is not to be harassed for his decision. Understood?" There was steel in Elizabeth's voice, and John gave a soft smile. She could be the mother hen when she wanted, he thought. Nods of assent bobbed in the room.

Carson sat quietly for a moment, although his mind had already been made up.

He raised his eyes, looking at the faces in the room. He cleared his throat.

"I want to try again." Carson was nearly blinded by the grin plastered on Rodney's face. Elizabeth's brow frowned with worry, then she merely sighed and nodded.

"Okay. Work it out with Drs. McKay and Zelenka. And Carson…be careful," she added softly.

oOo

Carson lay on the bed, once again attached to medical monitors, once again surrounded by Dr. Amrubi and Dr. McKay. Radek Zelenka was nearby, his eyes on the Atlantis computer screen. His job was to determine exactly where this program, for lack of a better word, originated.

"Ready?" Rodney asked, and Carson nodded. He closed his eyes, the circlet sitting comfortably on his brow. He opened his eyes at Rodney's next words.

"Remember – any problems, Carson, and you leave! Got it?" Rodney waited for Carson to shake his head, then stepped away from the bed.

Carson closed his eyes, thought of Brenna, and suddenly, she was there.

oOo

"Dr. Beckett! Oh, I was so afraid that I messed things up! But here you are, back again. I am so glad," she said, a huge smile of welcome on her face. Once again, Carson felt drawn to the woman, although he knew she was just some kind of artificial intelligence.

"Aye, Brenna. You said before we didn't have much time – has that changed?" Carson asked, accepting her hand as she reached for his, then following as she started to stroll. Around him, the white nothing transformed into the hallways of Atlantis.

"I thought that having these surroundings" – she waved a hand – "would make you more comfortable. Although, they can become whatever you want," she added.

"No, no this is fine," Carson said, realizing that he did feel better in the familiar corridors.

"As for time – well, that depends on a couple of things. You, for instance." Brenna said. "You were very resistant to me the last time, but now I sense you are learning to trust me. The more you allow our link to grow, the more time we will be able to spend together."

Carson thought that statement over. Yes, it was true, he resented having the ATA gene and being regarded as something of an oddity by many of the others. He feared the power the gene gave him, so he had done his best to suppress it.

They entered a strange room, and Carson looked around in bewilderment. They were in an unfamiliar part of Atlantis. The room was large, circular in shape. There was a small dais in the center of the room. Other than the lights that dimmed and flickered overhead, the room was empty.

Brenna paused at the foot of the dais, and turned to Carson. Her ageless face was composed and serene, but the youthful tone she had originally greeted him with was replaced by professionalism as she spoke.

"From our last conversation, I have determined that you are unaware of my purpose. Therefore, I have decided to start at the beginning. Perhaps then you will have more understanding and can I be of more help. Is that okay?"

Carson nodded, then a thought occurred to him. "Brenna, before you get started, is there anyway that Rodney and the others can see you? Or is it just by using the circlet?"

Brenna paused, bringing her hands together under her chin as she considered his question. Finally, she gave a small nod of her head.

"Yes, I believe that I can, but it would have to be here, in this room. And it would require an enormous amount of concentration on your behalf. The session would be short, I am afraid. As you can see, the power supply is intermittent at best," she gestured to the lights fading and brightening above them.

Carson frowned as he glanced at the lights above. At the disturbed look on his face, Brenna reached over and lightly touched his arm. "Carson, I required a descendent like yourself to 'activate' me, as you put it. The circlet merely enables us to communicate more directly. But, remember, I am nothing more than a stored memory. Like any other device, I require power to exist. And I'm afraid that the power here" – she waved a hand vaguely around the room – "is fading rapidly."

"Wait a minute, here, lass. Are you telling me that you're…dying?" Carson stared at Brenna's pretty face as she sadly nodded. He found himself cupping her cheek, lifting her face, his need to offer comfort reflected in his blue eyes.

"I am sorry, Carson. I've been aware that my systems were failing for a while now, and I've been afraid all my knowledge would be lost. I was so happy when you finally came," Brenna said, giving him a wide smile.

Carson fought to return her smile, but inside he was in turmoil. "Rodney! I need to get back to Rodney." At her bewildered look, he explained, "You need to tell me exactly where this room is, Brenna. Dr. McKay is…well, he seems to be able to fix anything. I need to go back and tell him what's happening. I'm sure he can reroute power or something to help you."

Hope suddenly bloomed in Brenna's eyes, and Carson felt warmth flood through him. He stepped away from the woman, taking her hands in his.

"I will be back, Brenna. This time with help," he promised, then closed his eyes and thought of the infirmary.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Time Capsule

Chapter 7

Rodney McKay looked exhausted. Bleary eyed from lack of sleep and staring at a computer screen for hours, he staggered to his feet, rubbing his hand across his eyes. This Brenna was absolutely right. The power was failing and apparently, there was nothing they could do about it.

Carson Beckett had startled the hell out of Rodney, snapping open his eyes, sitting up in the bed and yanking off the leads to the heart monitor. All the while he was chattering about power failures and knowledge lost and Brenna dying, his blue eyes slightly wild and frantic. It had taken a few minutes of calming the agitated physician down to get to the heart of the matter.

Now, two days later, Rodney was in his lab, his computer routed to the section Carson had pin-pointed. A technical team, headed by Rodney and Radek, had been dispatched to the area, and the room located. Although most of Atlantis had been searched throughout the year, this room had been artfully concealed. A systems diagnostic had revealed unbelievable damage, probably due to the Wraith attack a year earlier, as well as ten thousand years of neglect. Repairs to the area could only restore the most basic system functions, but not to the technology responsible for Brenna.

They room had appeared exactly as Carson had described it, flickering lights and all. Rodney had located the control panel, and after fiddling with it for a while, had caused four identical columns to raise up out of the dais. It was these columns that contained Brenna's memory. Or so Rodney believed. The amount of energy that they drew was phenomenal, and Rodney wondered how it could escape everyone's attention that these items existed. Still, without a constant source of power, these modules would lose all that they stored, effectively killing off Brenna and her memories.

McKay wearily trudged down the hall to Elizabeth's office, summoning up the courage to tell Carson that he had failed. Other than shutting down all the systems – including life-support – and re-routing that power to Brenna's systems, she was going to die. Rodney knew that the woman was really only a memory, pieces of data, but he knew that Carson regarded her as a person; this news was going to hit the sensitive doctor hard.

Rodney entered the conference room, almost knocking over a pacing Dr. Beckett. Both John and Elizabeth were seated, their eyes on the agitated physician. Colonel Caldwell was also present, as well as Teyla and Ronon.

Everyone's attention turned to Rodney, and he sighed.

"Carson, I'm sorry. Radek and the others are still working on it, but I am afraid that even if we diverted most of our power to her systems, it still wouldn't be enough." Rodney paused, seeing the bleak look of loss in his friend's eyes.

Apparently, this Brenna had made quite an impression on the kind-hearted doctor.

Carson stopped pacing, his head low. He inhaled deeply, the reality of the situation overwhelming. Elizabeth eyed him with concern, then turned to the others.

"Suggestions?" she inquired. Rodney squirmed for a moment, then spoke up.

"We should talk with her. Carson said it was possible – if he's willing to try. We need to find out what she knows, before she…. " Rodney's voice trailed off, avoiding the accusing eyes of Beckett.

Elizabeth merely nodded, as did most everyone in the room. With a resigned sigh, Carson also bobbed his head.

"Okay," John said. "Elizabeth, I think all of us should be there. Including Ronon and Teyla. She may relate something about other worlds that we know nothing about, but maybe they do. Agreed?" He watched as Elizabeth mulled over his words, then stood.

"I agree. We'll meet you in the room in three hours. Rodney, be sure to have your people standing by…just in case, okay?" McKay nodded his head. His technical staff was already trying to make room to store some of Brenna's memory elsewhere, but the space needed was huge. He doubted they would even scratch the surface.

"Carson, please remain a moment," Elizabeth ordered as the others filed out of the room.

"Are you all right with this, Dr. Beckett? You do understand that this Brenna is only a computer program, not a real person?" Elizabeth asked softly, coming around her desk to stand before the physician. He only shook his head, his shoulders slumped.

"No, I'm not all right, Dr. Weir. And you should remember that at one time, Brenna was a living, breathing person. Just because she's been reduced to some kind of ….data stream or something doesn't make her any less real to me. She's going to die, and there's nothing I can do about it," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. With a sad eyes, he turned and slowly walked out the door. Elizabeth's gaze followed him, her eyes troubled.

oOo

The room was eerie, with it's flickering lights and the four silent columns standing sentry on the circular dais. A gurney was positioned at the foot of the dais, along with the medical monitors that Dr. Amrubi insisted upon.

Carson was perched on the bed, his mind far away as Amrubi attached the leads. He wondered how he was going to tell Brenna that there was nothing they could do, there was no way to save her…and then start grilling her for information. The unfairness and cruelty of the situation upset Carson more than he let on to the others. Except maybe Elizabeth. She seemed to understand his distress.

Carson found himself watching Rodney's grim face as the physicist barked at Dr Zelenka. Apparently, the situation also had hit a sore-spot with the resident genius on Atlantis. For once, there was a problem that he just couldn't fix. Carson knew how he felt. But right now, he just couldn't summon up any sympathy for the short-tempered scientist.

"We're ready when you are, Dr. Beckett," McKay called over. Rodney had a computer precariously balanced on a small table he had set up. He approached Carson, his hands cradling the circlet. John and Elizabeth were standing quietly together, with a silent Teyla and Ronan nearby. Colonel Caldwell, as always, stood off to the side, keeping to himself.

Rodney gently placed the circlet around Carson's brow, then stepped back to the computer. Carson leaned back, trying to relax against the bed, and shut his eyes.

'Brenna,' he thought silently. 'Brenna, are you there?' The same white emptiness flooded over him, and then, she was there, her hand on his arm.

"Carson," she greeted, a smile on her face. He looked at her, trying to hide the truth in his eyes. Her own gray gaze widened slightly, though, and she gave a brief sigh.

"There's nothing you can do, is there?" she asked quietly, and Carson numbly shook his head.

"I'm sorry, lass. We did try, but …" Carson's accent thickened with emotion, and he felt himself tremble. It wasn't fair, condemning this woman who only wanted to help them to death.

"Carson. It's okay. Maybe I cannot fulfill my entire purpose, but perhaps I can still help you and your people," she consoled him. She stepped away from the silent doctor.

"Brenna, there are a few others who would like to meet you, to ask you questions. I am in the room, as you requested. What do I have to do now?" he asked. She wrinkled her brow in thought for a moment, then spoke quietly, firmly.

"You need to concentrate, Dr. Beckett. Just keep thinking about you and I standing together, in front of the room, with the rest of your people. That will strengthen our link. I will do the rest."

oOo

"What do you think is going on?" John mumbled to Rodney. Dr. Beckett had been prone on the gurney for about five minutes, and still, nothing had happened.

"How do I know?" Rodney snapped back. He eyed the computer screen, looking for any indication that this Brenna program was working. Suddenly, the power levels decreased, and the lights dimmed even further.

Rodney's eyes widened as a woman appeared before him. Her image was indistinct and fuzzy, but her identity was clear from the description Carson had related. She stared for a moment at Rodney, then her attention turned to something behind her. She held out her hand, and then Carson was next to her, his image even more jumbled.

Rodney looked from the obviously bewildered Carson image to the motionless form on the bed.

"Now, that's cool."

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Time Capsule

Chapter 8

The woman rose to her full height, sweeping her gaze around the room. She dropped Carson's hand, then clasped her own together in front of her.

"I am Brenna. I am the primary historian of Atlantis," she said gravely, her voice tinged with a light Scottish accent. She bowed low before them, then turned her attention to Dr. Beckett. "Are you all right, Carson?" She waited until he nodded, his eyes flicking to his still form on the gurney.

"Brenna, I'm Dr. Elizabeth Weir. I am so very sorry that our meeting has to be under these circumstances," Elizabeth said, stepping forward slightly on the dais. Instinctively, John moved next to her.

"I'm Lt. Colonel John Sheppard," he said. "And this is Teyla Emmagen, Ronon Dex and Colonel Caldwell." He gestured at the three figures standing behind him.

Brenna's image grew more indistinct as she stepped away from Sheppard. She frowned, her eyes glaring at the Colonel. She moved her attention to Rodney, who had cleared his throat.

"Umm..I'm Dr. Rodney McKay, Miss….umm…Brenna. If you don't mind, I have a few questions for you," he began, and she bowed her head in acknowledgement.

"Carson has spoken of you many times," she related with a small smile. "I thank you for trying to retain my systems, Dr. McKay."

"Yes, well, you're welcome. I guess," Rodney said, uncomfortable with the reminder that he had failed. Quickly, he changed the subject.

"I guess the first question I have is: Why does the circlet only work with Dr. Beckett?" Rodney asked. Brenna eyed the scientist curiously, then shrugged her shoulders.

"Dr. Beckett's genetic makeup is the most similar to mine, to that of the ancestors. Once he activated the circlet, he and I established a link. Although I can be summoned by others with this ATA gene, as you call it, I prefer to deal with Dr. Beckett."

Rodney nodded at her explanation. Curious, he took the question further. "And Colonel Sheppard? He seems to have the greatest ability with the gene, yet no link was established…"

Brenna was staring derisively at the soldier. John tried to keep his face blank, but Rodney swore he saw Sheppard flinch.

"Colonel Sheppard's genetic makeup contains Wraith DNA. He may be friend to you, but unfortunately, I could not risk revealing myself to him," Brenna said, her tone even.

"Now wait just a minute…."John started to argue, but Carson cut him off.

"Colonel, if you don't mind. I'm starting to feel…odd, so if you could move things along…." Carson's image flickered and danced, the edges of his body growing indistinct. Dr. Amrubi stepped over to the gurney, his dark eyes on the monitors. Brenna turned and glanced at the doctor, then stepped back and took his hand. Almost immediately, Carson's image strengthened. He gave her a grateful smile.

Brenna merely gazed back at him, then turned to the others. "Please allow me to explain my purpose. That may answer some of your questions." She waited as they nodded, then took a breath.

"I am sure you are aware that regardless of our advanced technology, the city of Atlantis was under threat of destruction by the Wraith. This was ten thousand of your Earth years ago. Rather than risk annihilation, it was decided by the elders to abandon Atlantis, sink the city and escape to Earth, where we could re-establish ourselves as a race." Brenna paused, watching the nodding heads of those around her.

"As you also may know, one of your people – Dr. Weir – was sent back to us, and she explained the possible outcome of your expedition. While the elders were reassured that some of our kind had survived, they were concerned that all the technology and advances that we had would be lost. So, it was also deemed necessary to leave four of us behind, along with all our knowledge."

Rodney excitedly interrupted. "Wait a minute – there are four of you? Four programs?" Brenna nodded at the scientist, a small smile on her face.

"Yes – each of our memories and knowledge are contained within the obelisks before you." Brenna dropped her hand from Carson's and walked to the one on the right. "This is me. I am the historian. I contain all the past histories of my people, as well as that of the Wraith and many others." Her image wavered and danced as she crossed to the left, and caressed the obelisk.

"This is Matea. She contains all the art, music and literature knowledge. She's quite a character. Tells the funniest tales," Brenna said, her strange Scottish lilt growing in intensity.

She crossed to the front of the dais, and paused before the third obelisk. "This is

Stafford. He is one of the elders. His knowledge is of technology and sciences. He helped to design and build Atlantis."

She stepped slowly to the rear of the dais, and lightly touched the final obelisk. "And this is Braden. His knowledge is most important. He contains all of our spiritual philosophies, as well as the rites required for ascension." At these words, Rodney began pacing back and forth, rubbing his hands together.

"I don't mean to be rude, Brenna, but could you have Mr… umm.. Stafford join us?" he asked, his excitement plastered on his face. His look dimmed as she sadly shook her head.

"I am sorry, but I cannot. You require his circlet." Brenna pointed to the device on her brow, and comprehension bloomed on Rodney's face.

Teyla leaned in. "Brenna, where the other circlets?" she asked. Brenna looked apologetically at the Athosian, then shrugged her shoulders.

"I do not know. Stafford's people created them while we were being… installed," she answered, struggling over the words. "I do know that they would not be together. This would help prevent any of our knowledge falling into enemy hands." At this, John nodded his head in agreement.

"So, let me get this straight. At one time, you and these other three" – Rodney gestured to the obelisks – "were living, breathing people. Before you departed Atlantis for Earth, your physical image and all your knowledge, depending upon your specialty, was uploaded into these obelisks, as you call them. To retrieve the knowledge, one must have the ATA gene and access to the proper circlet."

Brenna shook her head. "Yes – and no. These obelisks contain more than just my knowledge…they contain everything my people had learned over thousands of years. I was installed as a guide, or a librarian, if you will."

Elizabeth stepped forward. "So, if I were to ask you about the weapons technology used by the Wraith…"

Brenna gave a small smile as she explained. "I could tell you what they have used in the past, but as to dimensions and schematics – that would be Stafford's knowledge. I could tell you details regarding specific battles and such, but as to logistics…" Brenna trailed off sadly. "I am afraid I can be of little help to you."

Carson stepped up to her. "Nonsense, lass. You've already sent us down the right road." His image flickered and danced, then completely dimmed away.

"Carson!" Rodney's voice was sharp, and he looked worriedly at the still form of the doctor lying on the gurney.

Brenna closed her eyes, and focused her thoughts. The image of Carson flickered back into view, but it was obvious that it was fuzzier than before.

"I am afraid we must stop for now," she said urgently. "Dr. Beckett is growing very weak, and our link is fading. The power is diminishing as well." As if her words were a omen, the lights overhead started sputtering and flashing.

The image of Carson turned to Brenna. "We'll be back, lass. I promise," he said. He grabbed her hand, giving it a small squeeze, then he vanished. Brenna merely nodded, then, she too disappeared.

With a groan, Dr. Beckett raised himself up off the bed, removing the circlet with a shaky hand. Dr. Amrubi pushed him down with an impatient hand.

"Well, that was enlightening," John said, then he followed the others out of the room.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Time Capsule

Chapter 9

Rodney fussed with the control panel in the circular room, his eyes on his computer screen. He was doggedly searching for any spare power that he could reroute to the obelisks, but, as before, he was having little luck.

His mind continued to pore over the information that Brenna had related. What the Ancients had done was create a kind of time capsule. The reality was that anything that the four guides could relate to Rodney and the others was more than ten thousand years old. How effective any of that technology could be today remained questionable.

Still, any information they received from Brenna could help them in their fight to survive the Wraith, not to mention learning about any other potential enemies. Rodney felt an unwelcome helplessness rise within him as he glared at the computer screen. More than anything, he wanted to find the answer to this riddle, and he was failing miserably.

He heard the doors to the room glide open, and the sound of Elizabeth's voice echoed across the room. She and John strolled over to Rodney, their eyes hopeful. He wiped a hand across his brow, huffed a heavy breath, and shook his head.

"This is useless! The power to keep these things running is phenomenal. We need the services of at least two ZPM's – which we don't have." Rodney leaned against the control panel, his face weary and worn.

Elizabeth reached out a consoling hand, rubbing his arm gently. "Rodney, we know you're doing everything you can." McKay remained silent at her words, defeat and frustration in his eyes.

The lights in the room wavered and dimmed, reminding them of the short amount of time they had. 

Rodney turned back to the screen. "I suspect that the three ZPM's Janus had the'other Elizabeth' rotate while she was hibernating were responsible for generating the power these obelisks needed. Although we have a new ZPM, we need all the power it generates to maintain life support, system functions and the shielding. That's why Brenna and the others are failing; her systems know that they can't keep pulling power from our one ZPM. Other than having us abandoning Atlantis completely, I'm sorry – I can't see any way to preserve the obelisks."

John spoke up. "I don't mean to be harsh, but what about just saving one or two of the obelisks?" He kept his face carefully neutral, ignoring Elizabeth as she opened her mouth to protest.

Her words were cut off by Dr. Beckett's thick Scottish accent. The doctor had entered the room silently. "And just which ones would you save, Colonel Sheppard? Seeing as we only have the circlet for Brenna's obelisk, and God knows where the other three devices are. Not to mention that we can actually speak to someone who actually called Atlantis home. She's the closest we've come to actually conversing with an Ancient. You would sentence her to death because she doesn't have your precious weapons technology?" Carson's voice had grown louder and sharper, and he was yelling when he finally paused for a breath.

"I'm not saying that, Doctor. But I don't see any need to lose all four when we can possibly save one or two," John replied. "And, yes, I would chose the technology guy – Stafford, I think. Right now, we need his knowledge more than that of a historian."

Rodney stepped down between the two as Carson moved threateningly towards the Colonel. "Wait! Stop! This argument is pointless, because we can't save just one, anyway. They are all interconnected, sharing the power supply. To remove one is to condemn them all to death." Rodney remained positioned between the two, his hands placed on their chests. Carson's angry blue eyes bored into Sheppard's for a long moment, then he stepped back, his stance noticeably relaxing.

"Rodney, there's nothing you can do?" Elizabeth asked gently.

The scientist shook his head. "The next time we contact Brenna, I'm going to ask her to try and download some of her information into our computers. We won't get much, but we'll get some. I've also contacted Earth; we can send some of the data directly to the SGC by keeping the wormhole open, but even if they get all the storage devices I've requested, according to my calculations, we would need to maintain the wormhole for about seven weeks, twenty-four hours a day, to get it all. And that's just Brenna's information."

John gave a low whistle, and Rodney nodded. Carson and Elizabeth looked stunned at Rodney's statement. The four stood in silence for a moment, then Elizabeth turned to Rodney.

"How long do you think she…they..have?" Rodney fidgeted noticeably, then shrugged his shoulders.

"This is just a guess, but no more than another day, maybe two. And that's only if we keep our holographic discussions to a minimum. It takes a lot of power to generate her image." Elizabeth nodded thoughtfully at his statement, then turned to Carson.

"Dr. Beckett. I imagine this had been very difficult for you, but unfortunately, I need to put the needs of the expedition above the needs of Brenna and the others. Are you willing to continue to act as our liaison?" Elizabeth gazed steadily at the doctor, her warm eyes compassionate.

Carson stood still for a long moment, his heart breaking. Yes, this woman was merely a computer generated image, but he had grown to care for her. She had chosen him, after all, rather than the hero soldier, or any of the other humans with the ATA gene. Carson didn't know of that was fate or dumb luck, and he really didn't care. All he knew was that another person that he had befriended was going to die, and, once again, there was nothing he or anyone else could do.

Dr. Weir watched as Carson reluctantly agreed, and a soft sigh escaped her. Had he refused, Elizabeth would not have pressed him. She could see how attached he had become to Brenna, and she also knew how soft-hearted the doctor was. This loss was going to hit him hard.

"Thank you, Carson. I know this is difficult for you," she said quietly. "I suggest we contact Brenna again, and let her know of the current situation. Rodney, if you can coordinate with Earth, and let me know when you'll be ready? Once you're set up, we'll establish another link." Elizabeth's gaze fell on each of their faces, and, satisfied, she strode from the room.

Rodney spun around and followed Dr. Weir, barking orders to Dr. Zelenka via his headset. Colonel Sheppard stood with Carson, then gently reached out a hand and placed it on Beckett's shoulder.

"Doctor, you do understand? I'm responsible for the safety of you and the rest of the expedition. If I could, I would save all four of them. But, I can't."

"Aye, lad. I understand. But that doesn't make it right." Carson's blue eyes bored into John, then the doctor marched wearily from the room. After a long moment, John followed.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Time Capsule

Chapter 10

"Whenever you're ready, Carson," Rodney said quietly. He was pacing before the control panel, watching the readings on his computer screen.

Carson lay on his gurney, the circlet already in place on his brow. He closed his eyes, ignoring the beeping from the heart monitor. Elizabeth and John were positioned nearby, as well as Dr. Amrubi. Teyla and Ronon had returned to the mainland, where Teyla's friend was in the process of giving birth to her first child. Carson felt a twinge of regret that he wasn't assisting the baby's entrance into this world, but was reassured that Dr. Stein would be there.

The familiar swirl of white drifted around him, and he felt the warm hands of Brenna grasp his. She materialized before him, a smile of greeting on her ageless face.

"Carson! I was afraid you wouldn't return. I'm glad you are here," she said. He returned her smile, tightening his grip on her hands.

"Brenna, Rodney has an idea, but before we talk to the others, I wanted to say something," Carson said.

Brenna merely stared up at him, her eyes questioning. Carson cleared his throat. "I am so sorry, lass. Rodney and the others have tried everything they could think of, but, soon, you'll be …. gone." He paused, his throat thickening with emotion.

Brenna put a hand up, shaking her head at his words. "Carson, you have given me a great gift. There was never any guarantee that Atlantis would survive, or that any of our people would return to the city. Just knowing that our race continues to live and fight for freedom is enough. Please, do not blame yourself."

Carson felt her pull him into an embrace, wrapping her arms around the doctor. She held him tightly, her head resting on his shoulder. Carson closed his eyes, unable to speak.

"You need to remember that I did live, probably a long and happy life, while I was on Earth. And then I ascended. I have no regrets," she added.

She stepped away from him. "Now, then, what is Dr. McKay's idea?" she asked.

As Carson explained, Brenna nodded her head thoughtfully, her brow wrinkled in concentration. She clasped her hands together, and, suddenly, Carson found himself as a holographic image, his still form prone on the gurney.

Rodney started in surprise as Brenna appeared next to Carson, her own image translucent and fuzzy. She gave the scientist a quick smile.

"Dr. McKay, Carson has informed me of your plan. I will do my best to send the most pertinent information to your storage devices. Please let me know when you're ready."

Rodney keyed his headset, and in the stargate room, Radek Zelenka dialed Earth. Seconds later, the gate whooshed to life, and the voice of Lt. Colonel Carter echoed through the Czech's headset.

"Dr. Zelenka? This is Samantha Carter. Tell Dr. McKay we're ready on our end."

Radek sent the message to Rodney, and he nodded to Brenna. She closed her eyes, strain etching her face, and suddenly, the control panel in the room hummed with life. Ancient characters scrolled furiously across Rodney's screen and he shook his head, his eyes unable to read the rapidly changing writing.

"Are you getting this, Dr. Carter?" he asked, excitement tingeing his voice. He glanced up, noting the concerned look on Beckett's face. The doctor was next to the Ancient woman, his hand in hers, both their images flickering and wavering.

"Carson, perhaps it would be better if we became unlinked. I can continue sending the information to your planet," she said. Her voice was thin and drawn, and her image continue to fade and flicker.

"Aye, lass. But, will I see you again?" he asked. She gave him a reassuring smile, then nodded her head shortly.

Somewhat relieved, the image of Carson closed his eyes, and then both he and Brenna vanished. Rodney watched as the doctor propped himself up on an elbow, a hand rubbing at his forehead. He looked inquiringly at McKay.

"She's okay, Carson. She's still downloading," Rodney replied, and Carson sighed. He lay back on the gurney, his eyes staring at the high metal ceiling above. The lights continued to flash and dim, and Carson knew that soon, those lights would die down permanently. As would Brenna. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and blinked back tears. It was going to be a long day.

oOo

"That's it, then," Rodney said quietly. He keyed his headset, instructing Radek to shut down the gate. They had redialed Earth twelve times, four more than Rodney thought safe. They only had one ZPM, and each time they contacted Earth, they drained an enormous amount of energy. But Rodney was also reluctant to lose any more information than necessary. The reality was that the gate had been open for only eight hours, no where near the amount of time that they needed to store Brenna's data.

The scientist sighed deeply. He was exhausted, both in body and mind. He looked at Carson, noting how drawn his friend's face was. The doctor lay on the gurney, his eyes unfocused as he stared at the obelisks. He hadn't said a word since they started downloading Brenna's information. He had only removed the circlet, placing it into Elizabeth's hands, then reclined back on the bed.

Rodney walked to the gurney and gave a sad smile to Carson. "We've reached capacity, Doctor. It's not much, but it's something. I need to go and check out our systems. Will you be okay here?"

Carson nodded silently. "Rodney, I appreciate everything you've done. I know you did your best," the Scot offered as McKay turned to leave the room.

Rodney merely shrugged, then gave a crooked grin and left the room. Carson looked around; he was alone. Even Dr. Amrubi had vacated the area, as Beckett was no longer linked with Brenna.

The doctor's face fell as he thought of the Ancient. The link they had established

had affected him deeply. There had been a few times when Carson had questioned his decision to remain in Atlantis, and this was one of them. On Earth, things seemed so much safer and easier. Although his life here was exciting, each day bringing new discoveries, there was also the terror and pain. Never had Carson believed that so many of his friends and colleagues would be lost. Rodney had commented once that they were pioneers, much the same as the hardy folk who had crossed the vast plains of America in the nineteenth century. The history books recounted the many lives lost, but glossed over the anguish and fear those brave people faced. Carson often wondered that if he had known of the consequences, would he have refused to step through the stargate?

He sighed, knowing the answer. The truth was, he would have never met Brenna, or Teyla or Ronon, or any number of the friends they had made in the Pegasus galaxy. Elizabeth Weir, John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Laura Cadman – all these people had immersed themselves into Carson's life, and he valued their friendship deeply. And the wonders of this strange place; Carson often wished he had an artist's soul, rather than that of a mere physician. Then, maybe on a canvas or with a poet's words, he could capture the beauty of Atlantis. Yes, he would have come. He wasn't a very brave man, but he had a healthy dose of curiosity.

He rolled carefully off the gurney, pausing to stare at the light metal circlet sitting at the foot of the bed. His thoughts were interrupted by Rodney's voice crackling through his headset.

"Dr. Beckett? Dr. Weir has called a meeting. Meet us in her office in about twenty minutes." The comm clicked off, and Carson reached his hand out, grasped the circlet, and slowly walked from the room.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Time Capsule

Chapter 11

Carson entered the meeting with slumped shoulders, his stance defeated. Elizabeth felt her concern for the physician increase, and made a mental note to have Beckett speak to Dr. Heightmeyer as soon as possible.

He took a seat next to John, then raised his eyes, waiting for the meeting to begin. McKay was babbling a mile a minute into his headset, shaking his head and pacing back and forth. Carson couldn't catch everything Rodney said, and found he really didn't care. After a few more minutes of barking orders, Rodney keyed off his headset, and turned to the others.

"Okay, well the good news is that we got a lot more information than I expected. Apparently, this Brenna compressed her files even more than I thought possible. It'll take time to access them all and examine the data, but really, we did quite well." Rodney paused, rubbing his hands together excitedly, and Elizabeth tried to stop a smile; it was obvious that Rodney was dying to jump in and swim around in all this new information.

"And the bad news, Rodney?" John asked, glancing at the silent physician next to him. At this, Rodney paused, then strode closer to Carson.

"I'm afraid we really drained the resources maintaining Brenna and the other three. Her power will be gone in about two hours," Rodney replied, his tone softening as Carson's face fell.

The physician held Rodney's apologetic gaze for a long moment, then came to his feet. He turned to Elizabeth.

"If you don't mind, Dr. Weir, I would like to spend some time with Brenna before she's…." Unable to finish, Carson waited for Elizabeth to nod quickly.

"Dr. Beckett. I want Dr. Amrubi with you when you contact Brenna. Agreed?" Carson shook his head at Elizabeth's request, then walked from the room.

"Dr. Weir, if I could…?" Rodney asked eagerly, and Elizabeth bowed her head at McKay. He scurried from the room, unaware of the looks exchanged between John and Elizabeth.

oOo

Carson stood in the near-dark of the circular room. Although he had promised Dr. Weir that he would have Dr. Amrubi nearby when he contacted Brenna, he

was alone. En route to the room he had decided that he wanted the last moments he shared with this woman to be private. Now, as he walked to the four obelisks sitting silent on the dais, he raised the circlet. Taking a deep breath, he carefully placed it on his brow. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on Brenna's image.

Nothing. Around him Carson could feel the coolness of the room, hear the intermittent crackle of lights as they received a short burst of power. He swayed slightly, the fear that he had lost the opportunity to see Brenna one more time clenching his heart. He squeezed his eyes shut, his hands tightening into fists as he willed the circlet to make the connection.

"Carson." Brenna appeared before him, her image barely visible. She reached out a hand, and Carson felt like he was being caressed by a ghost. He refrained from shivering, and instead focused on her face.

"Thank you for being here, Dr. Beckett," Brenna said softly, her smile tremulous. She reached over and took his hands in hers.

"My time is short. I need to tell you two things before I'm gone. Can you hear me?" she asked.

"Aye, lass, I can hear you," Carson said, surprised that his voice sounded so even. He tightened his grip around her hands, and she gave him a shaky smile.

"Please tell Dr. McKay and the others that I did my best to send not only my information, but that of the others. A lot of it will be missing; as I said, I only have access to the histories. Still, I did manage to get a little bit of technological data to you. Have Dr. McKay look into the history of Atlantis. There is something you should know about the ocean city." Brenna paused, her voice rising and falling, some of her words almost completely lost. Her image flickered and danced, and for a moment, faded from Carson's sight.

"Brenna!" The woman's figure reappeared at his shout, and Carson gave a brief prayer of thanks.

"Carson! You must listen. When you and I became linked, I also increased your abilities to use your ATA gene." Brenna gave a reassuring smile at Beckett's look of dismay. "You will retain control, Doctor. However, you should notice some of the technology available to you on Atlantis, and elsewhere, responds more fully to your commands. This power is nothing to fear, Carson. It is yours to do as you wish."

He stared at the woman, reassured by her tone and her smile. "Thank you, Brenna. For everything. I cannot tell you how much I'm going to miss you. I wish…I wish.." Carson stopped, unable to continue.

"I, too, wish I could stay. It is not to be. I am thankful for our time together, Carson. Brief though it was." Brenna gave his hands a gentle squeeze, then stepped back. She reached up, removing the circlet from her brow, then dropped it to the floor. The connection broken between them, Carson watched her fade from view. Suddenly, he was in the control room, alone, the overhead lights dark. Emergency lighting from the corridor weakly entered the room.

Carson Beckett carefully removed the circlet from his head, and placed it gently on the obelisk. He stood a moment, his head bowed with sadness, his face streaked with tears.

"Goodbye, lass."

oOo

Dr. Beckett gazed at the sweet baby girl, a smile crossing his features as she grabbed his finger with one tiny hand. Patches of dark hair covered her scalp, and her eyes were a deep, warm brown. She lay quietly on the examination table, carefully surrounded by soft quilts and fluffy pillows.

Carson leaned in and listened carefully to the child's heart with his stethoscope. She wrinkled her face as he placed the cold metal against her chest, and kicked her legs in protest.

"Now, now, lass, this won't take but a moment of your time," Carson cooed at the baby, and she rewarded him with a toothless smile. Satisfied with his findings, he carefully lifted the child up, cradling her against him. Bouncing her against his chest, he walked her over to her mother. Carefully, he laid the small bundle into the woman's arms with a smile.

"No worries. She's as healthy as a horse," Carson said, causing a smile to cross the woman's features. He tickled the baby's chin once more, then watched as mother and daughter exited the room.

"You know, you're really very good with children, Carson," Laura Cadman remarked as he began folding the bedding. "Why haven't you ever gotten married?"

Dr. Beckett paused a moment, surprised at Laura's bluntness. Maybe some of Rodney had rubbed off on her when she and the physicist had shared McKay's body. He considered her question, then gave her a quick grin.

"No one's asked me – yet," he teased, his lilt growing deeper as she snorted in response. Pillows and bedding straightened out, he crossed over to his office, unconsciously brightening the lights as he entered. As Brenna had promised, his abilities with the ATA gene had increased dramatically. New and previously inaccessible Ancient technology came alive with the tiniest thought, let alone a touch. Carson had been thrilled to discover various medical devices in his own infirmary, and willingly tested them all for Dr. McKay. A power he had once feared and rejected had been transformed, becoming an invaluable tool he wielded regularly.

Carson sat at his desk, eyeing the piles of paperwork. Laura was propped against his doorway, her arms folded across her chest.

"Guess you can't join me for lunch, huh?" she asked.

Carson paused as he reached for a file, looking at Laura's disappointed eyes. Surprising himself, he rose from the chair, removed his lab coat, and reached for her hand. He returned her delighted smile, leading her out the door towards the mess-hall.

"Lass, I always have time for you."

oOo

Dr. McKay's eyes widened in astonishment. On his computer screen, Ancient characters scrolled by slowly, allowing him time to decipher them into English. He hit a key, causing the characters to pause, and re-read one of the sentences. Twice.

"Oh my God!" Rodney whispered. He unhooked the connections, slammed the computer shut and raced out the door, his mind spinning.

Elizabeth and John were laughing quietly over something the Colonel had said when Rodney burst into her office. The scientist's face was red from exertion and excitement, and he sagged into a chair, his computer tight against his chest.

"Rodney! What's wrong?" John demanded, concern immediately on his handsome face. Elizabeth stood up, her hands on her desk.

Rodney remained silent for a moment, trying to organize his thoughts. "As you know, I've been reading through the histories, specifically those regarding Atlantis."

Elizabeth slowly nodded. "Brenna told Carson that there was something you should know in those writings," she offered.

"Well, she wasn't kidding. Apparently, Atlantis was nothing more than an…an… outpost, for lack of a better term. I mean, think about it. It really is only a city – a small one, compared to others that we've seen or even compared to those on Earth. We've always regarded Atlantis as the last stand for the Ancients, and for the people who resided here ten thousand years ago, that was true."

"What are you getting at, Rodney?" Elizabeth asked.

"That's just it – it was only an outpost. Kind of like a military fort on the outskirts of civilization in the Old West. When the Wraith attacked them, time and time again over the years, the people of Atlantis made a conscious choice to not contact anyone for help. They were afraid that their entire race would be wiped out."

John looked baffled by Rodney's explanation. The scientist paced nervously for a moment, then turned to the Colonel.

"We know that the Ancients sank the city, and escaped to Earth. We assumed it was to save themselves, but that was only part of it." Rodney paused, his hands rubbing nervously together.

"Apparently, there are more of these outposts – more Atlantis', spread throughout the universe. The Ancient's escaped to Earth not only to save themselves, but to protect the other outposts."

"Wait – you're telling me that there may be more Atlantis' out there? How many?" John demanded.

Rodney shook his head slowly. "There could be hundreds – thousands, even. But that's not important.

John and Elizabeth exchanged a glance. Not important? They watched the agitated scientist pace rapidly within the confines of the office, his brow wrinkled as he concentrated.

"Okay, these histories are ten thousand years old, and things can change drastically over that time. I mean, look at Earth's history. But still….." Rodney paused, then stood still, his blue eyes on John and Elizabeth.

"There's a sentence in Brenna's histories that gives a twelve-digit gate address. I believe it's to the Ancient's home world."

The End


End file.
